Finding A Good School Fit
The season for school tours is approaching. If you have a child who is entering kindergarten in 2009 and you are thinking of a magnet, charter or private school, this is the time to begin touring. Or perhaps you are like the vast majority of parents, and want to make sure your child will be OK in your local school. As a mother of three kids, I have been on many tours. At times, I would find myself wondering WHY am I on this tour, anyway? Here is a list of things to keep in mind and to help you avoid the “why” pitfall
- Before you attend, think about what you want in a school. Are you looking for a rigorous education, a progressive education, something in between? Teacher experience, technologically savvy? The more detailed you can get, the more information you will glean from the tour.
- Don’t be the question asker, be the “answer listener.” All the common questions will be asked for you (i.e. homework policy, after-school programs, testing, discipline, availability of arts and music training) by other parents. Listen carefully to the answers. They will give you insight, and provide clues into what the true philosophy of the school is.
- Make sure to note what the upper grades are doing. Hard to believe but your child will be there in no time!
- If you arrive early or stay a bit later, Instead of making idle chatter with other prospective parents, look around. Check out the walls. Are they covered with art work? Do they all look the same, or are they different? Are demonstrations of writing available? Is older kids work displayed? If you can, go into the library, what kind of books do you see? Computers? Are their thick chapter books for the older kids, picture books for the younger ones? Do they have poetry books, autobiographies, books on different cultures? Are they arranged in sections? Can kids check out books?
- Tour the school while it is in session. How else can you tell what’s really going on in the classroom?
- Do not watch the teachers, but the kids’ reaction to the teachers. Many parents get stuck on the “Wow, I think she’s a great teacher!” However, that’s the adult point of view. Look to see if the majority of students are engaged. Is the teacher working with the different learning modalities—auditory, visual and tactile/kinesthetic? Are there books available in the classroom, and is the work of the best students displayed or of all the students? Use your critical eye to assess each classroom.
Noting the “unseen” will give you one more tool to determine if the school is for your child.
School tours are meant to give you an idea of what to expect in the coming year for your child. You can learn much from a school if, just like your teacher used to say, you pay attention!
Kim Hamer is founder of GetIntoPrivateSchool.com: Affordable Tools and Strategies for Navigating the Private School Admissions Process Anywhere in the Country. For more assistance on finding ANY type of school, visit GetIntoPrivateSchool.com.
